26 Postures

We’re All Built a Little Differently

Each posture in the Bikram Yoga Series has its own unique benefits. Expressing your body to the best of your ability for each posture will yield life changing results. In these photos we show all 26 postures as they are performed by two individuals with different body types and varied flexibility, balance and strength. Do your best and the best will come back to you!

1. Standing Deep Breathing

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Benefits the lungs and respiratory systems. Helps lungs reach their maximum expansion capacity. Very good for asthma, shortness of breath and nervousness. Increases circulation.

2. Half Moon Pose with Hands to Feet Pose

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Gives quick energy and vitality. Heats up the body, trims stomach, buttocks, hips and thighs. Improves flexibility of the spine. Hands to feet pose improves blood circulation to the brain and legs.

3. Awkward Pose

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Gives you great legs and arms. Strengthens and trims, heats and energizes the body. Makes hip joints flexible. Relieves joint and muscular pain. Increases circulation to the knees and ankles. Good for arthritis and gout.

4. Eagle Pose

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Flushes out the kidneys. Brings blood to the sex organs. Improves sexual vitality. Improves flexibility of the 12 major joints in the body.

5. Standing Head to Knee Pose

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Develops concentration, determination and patience. Great for cardiovascular system.

6. Standing Bow Pose

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Increases circulation to the heart and lungs. Improves elasticity of the spine. Creates marriage between strength and balance. Activates digestive system.

7. Balancing Stick Pose

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Increases blood flow all over the body at the same time. With shoulders up and chest down, all arteries of the heart receive blood flow. Clears blockage and arteries. Preventative for future cardiac problems. Total spine stretch, relieves stress from the spine.

8. Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

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Good for psychotic depression, memory loss, constipation, abdominal obesity. When chin is forward it increases circulation to the adrenal glands. Increases circulation to the brain. Pushing stomach in helps to strengthen the diaphragm. Good for hyperacidity. Releases tension in lower back muscles.

9. Triangle Pose

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Compression is good for the kidneys. Alleviates “saddlebags”. Whole body is affected: muscles, nerves and tissues. Changes chemical imbalances in the body. Good for anorexia, constipation, colitis, blood pressure, appendicitis, hip and back pain, spondolitis, menstrual disorders, general mobility, obesity and frozen shoulders. Lower portion of the body becomes a solid base with upper body twisting which creates cardiovascular benefit with very little movement.

10. Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee Pose

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Good for depression, memory loss, abdominal obesity, diabetes, thyroid, blood sugar balance.

11. Tree Pose

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Creates hip and knee flexibility. Creates total body traction. Releases abdominal tension. Good for arthritis rheumatism, circulatory disorders and lower extremity weakness. Preparation for lotus pose.

12. Toe Stand Pose

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Strengthens stomach muscles. Good for balance and concentration. Good for arthritis in knees and legs.

13. Dead Body Pose

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Relaxes body and mind. Energizes body.

14. Wind Removing Pose

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Cures and prevents flatulence which is the source of most chronic abdominal discomforts. Improves flexibility of hip joints. Firms abdomen, thighs and hips.

15. Sit Up

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Strengthens and tightens abdomen and increases flexibility of the spine.

16. Cobra Pose

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Good for digestion, kyphosis, scoliosis, lower back pain, low blood pressure, menstrual disorders, spondylo-arthritis of lumbar spine. Increases back strength, especially in the lower back.

17. Locust Pose

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Good for gout, lower back pain, low blood pressure, sciatica, scoliosis, kyphosis, slipped disc, spondylosis, tennis elbow, varicose veins. Increases back strength, especially in the upper back.

18. Full Locust Pose

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Good for lower back pain, low blood pressure, kyphosis, scoliosis, spondylosis, varicose veins. Increases back strength, especially in the middle back.

19. Bow Pose

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Good for anorexia, bronchitis, constipation, diabetes, lower back pain, obstructive lung disease, scoliosis and kyphosis. Increases strength of entire spine.

20. Fixed Firm Pose

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Increases circulation to the lower limbs. Strengthens and improves the flexibility of the lower spine, hips, knees and ankle joints. Good for lower back pain, sciatica, gout, rheumatism and varicose veins. Helps prevent hernia. Strengthens psoas muscles.

21. Half Tortoise Pose

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Good for gout, indigestion, flatulence, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, anorexia, diabetes and lower back pain. Stretches the lower part of the lungs (good for asthma.) Increases flexibility of the hip joints and muscles in shoulder joints. Relieves neck and shoulder tension, lower back pain and firms abdomen and thighs. Increases blood flow to the brain (good for memory and mental clarity.)

22. Camel Pose

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Excellent for good postural alignment. Creates maximum compression of the spine which stimulates the nervous system. Improves flexibility of the neck and spine, relieves backache, helps kypho-scolitic deformities and cervical spondylosis.

23. Rabbit Pose

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Creates maximum extension of the spine increasing the mobility and elasticity of spine and back muscles. Good for depression, headaches, insomnia, diabetes and respiratory illness. Good for thyroid and parathyroid glands. Relieves tension in neck, shoulders and back muscles.

24. Head to Knee with Stretching Pose

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Improves the flexibility of the sciatic nerve and joints of the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows and wrists. Increases flexibility of the last 5 vertebrae of the spine. Excellent for the immune and lymphatic systems. Increases circulation to the liver, spleen, pancreas, thyroid, thymus and intestines. Good for allergies and arthritis.

25. Spine Twisting Pose

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Improves flexibility of spine and hip joints, relieves back pain and helps prevent slipped discs. Good for lower back pain, rheumatism of the spine, kyphosis, scoliosis, cervical spondylosis and arthritis. Increases circulation to the spinal nerves, veins and tissues. Calms the nervous system.

26. Blowing in Firm Pose

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Detoxifies lungs. Brings mental clarity. Strengthens abdominal muscles. Normalizes bowels. Energizes body. Improves oxygenation to body. Increases circulation. Good for heart, high blood pressure and respiration.